Getty Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving is making history in Brooklyn. The Nets guard is the first NBA player in 54 years to post 222 points, 54 assists, and 43 rebounds through the first seven games of a season.
The only other player to accomplish that feat, the great Oscar Robertson. Robertson was one of the great stat-stuffers in basketball history and averaged 25.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game during a Hall of Fame career that spanned 14 seasons.
Through the first seven games, Irving is averaging 31.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.7 assists. He has also shown remarkable chemistry with fellow guards Caris LeVert and Joe Harris and has fully taken on a leadership role with the team.
Irving went off for 39 points and nine assists as the Nets defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 135-125 on Monday night at Barclays Center. Brooklyn has started the season with a 3-4 record as they continue to improve with a new-look roster, led by Kyrie.
The Nets begin a crucial five-game road trip this Friday with a west-coast matchup against the Portland Trailblazers.
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Kyrie Billboard Looms Over MSG
Advice to fans of the New York Knicks who are walking past Madison Square Garden, don’t lookup. A giant billboard of Kyrie Irving now lives on the corner overlooked the World’s Most Famous Arena.
“In my heart, I knew I always wanted to play at home,” the billboard read.
The star guard shunned the hometown Knicks during the offseason, opting instead to sign a max contract with the Brooklyn Nets. Irving is a native of West Orange, New Jersey and has repeatedly said that the New Jersey Nets are his actual hometown team. The Nets played 35 seasons in the Garden State before relocating to Brooklyn in 2012.
This particular billboard was not created by the Nets. It’s an ad campaign for Nike, centered around Irving’s return home to the New York City Metropolitan area.
Kenny Atkinson Gets Creative
Head coach Kenny Atkinson is relying on techniques usually seen on the football field. During endgame situations, Atkinson has been seen holding up cue cards on the sidelines with a visual representation of the play call.
“We’ve had trouble communicating it to the guys in the past, so we came up with this idea,” Atkinson told the New York Post. We have to find a way so everybody knows. Sometimes you have to add a little humor to things. It sinks in a little more with the guys.”
The players have certainly taken notice. After the 123-116 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday at Barclays Center, center Jarrett Allen gave his feedback.
“It’s a ridiculous sign, but it gets our attention gets us to know what we need to do, so it works,” Allen said.
Allen has been one of the few consistent defenders Brooklyn has relied on this season and averaging almost 10 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
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